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Register a new userForward Flux Sampling Calculation of Homogeneous Nucleation Rates from Aqueous NaCl Solutions
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We used molecular dynamics simulations and the path sampling technique known as forward flux sampling to study homogeneous nucleation of NaCl crystals from supersaturated aqueous solutions at 298 K and 1 bar. Nucleation rates were obtained for a range of salt concentrations for the Joung-Cheatham NaCl force field combined with the SPC/E water model. The calculated nucleation rates are significantly lower than available experimental measurements. The estimates for the nucleation rates in this work do not rely on classical nucleation theory, but the pathways observed in the simulations suggest that the nucleation process is better described by classical nucleation theory than an alternative interpretation based on Ostwalds step rule, in contrast to some prior simulations of related models. In addition to the size of NaCl nucleus, we find that the crystallinity of a nascent cluster plays an important role in the nucleation process. Nuclei with high crystallinity were found to have higher growth probability and longer lifetimes, possibly because they are less exposed to hydration water.
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We report a numerical simulation of the rate of crystal nucleation of sodium chloride from its melt at moderate supercooling. In this regime nucleation is too slow to be studied with brute-force Molecular Dynamics simulations. The melting temperature of (Tosi-Fumi) NaCl is $sim 1060$K. We studied crystal nucleation at $T$=800K and 825K. We observe that the critical nucleus formed during the nucleation process has the crystal structure of bulk NaCl. Interestingly, the critical nucleus is clearly faceted: the nuclei have a cubical shape. We have computed the crystal-nucleation rate using two completely different approaches, one based on an estimate of the rate of diffusive crossing of the nucleation barrier, the other based on the Forward Flux Sampling and Transition Interface Sampling (FFS-TIS) methods. We find that the two methods yield the same result to within an order of magnitude. However, when we compare the extrapolated simulation data with the only available experimental results for NaCl nucleation, we observe a discrepancy of nearly 5 orders of magnitude. We discuss the possible causes for this discrepancy.
In this work, we use large-scale molecular dynamics simulations coupled to free energy calculations to identify for the first time a limit of stability (spinodal) and a change in the nucleation mechanism in aqueous NaCl solutions. This is a system of considerable atmospheric, geological and technical significance. We find that the supersaturated metastable NaCl solution reaches its limit of stability at sufficiently high salt concentrations, as indicated by the composition dependence of the salt chemical potential, indicating the transition to a phase separation by spinodal decomposition. However, the metastability limit of the NaCl solution does not correspond to spinodal decomposition with respect to crystallization. We find that beyond this spinodal, a liquid/amorphous separation occurs in the aqueous solution, whereby the ions first form disordered clusters. We term these clusters as amorphous salt. We also identify a transition from one- to two-step crystallization mechanism driven by a spinodal. In particular, crystallization from aqueous NaCl solution beyond the spinodal is a two-step process, in which the ions first phase-separate into disordered amorphous salt clusters, followed by the crystallization of ions in the amorphous salt phase. In contrast, in the aqueous NaCl solution at concentrations lower than the spinodal, crystallization occurs via a one-step process, as the ions aggregate directly into crystalline nuclei. The change of mechanism with increasing supersaturation underscores the importance of an accurate determination of the driving force for phase separation. The study has broader implications on the mechanism for nucleation of crystals from solutions at high supersaturations.
Forward flux sampling (FFS) provides a convenient and efficient way to simulate rare events in equilibrium or non-equilibrium systems. FFS ratchets the system from an initial state to a final state via a series of interfaces in phase space. The efficiency of FFS depends sensitively on the positions of the interfaces. We present two alternative methods for placing interfaces automatically and adaptively in their optimal locations, on-the-fly as an FFS simulation progresses, without prior knowledge or user intervention. These methods allow the FFS simulation to advance efficiently through bottlenecks in phase space by placing more interfaces where the probability of advancement is lower. The methods are demonstrated both for a single-particle test problem and for the crystallization of Yukawa particles. By removing the need for manual interface placement, our methods both facilitate the setting up of FFS simulations and improve their performance, especially for rare events which involve complex trajectories through phase space, with many bottlenecks.
Thermal gradients induce concentration gradients in alkali halide solutions, and the salt migrates towards hot or cold regions depending on the average temperature of the solution. This effect has been interpreted using the heat of transport, which provides a route to rationalize thermophoretic phenomena. Early theories provide estimates of the heat of transport at infinite dilution. These values are used to interpret thermodiffusion (Soret) and thermoelectric (Seebeck) effects. However, accessing heats of transport of individual ions at finite concentration remains an outstanding question both theoretically and experimentally. Here we discuss a computational approach to calculate heats of transport of aqueous solutions at finite concentrations, and apply our method to study lithium chloride solutions at concentrations $>0.5$~M. The heats of transport are significantly different for Li$^+$ and Cl$^-$ ions, unlike what is expected at infinite dilution. We find theoretical evidence for the existence of minima in the Soret coefficient of LiCl, where the magnitude of the heat of transport is maximized. The Seebeck coefficient obtained from the ionic heats of transport varies significantly with temperature and concentration. We identify thermodynamic conditions leading to a maximization of the thermoelectric response of aqueous solutions.
We report on the effects of electron collision and indirect ionization processes, occurring at photoexcitation and electron kinetic energies well below 30 eV on the photoemission spectra of liquid water. We show that the nascent photoelectron spectrum and, hence, the inferred electron binding energy can only be accurately determined if electron energies are large enough that cross sections for quasi-elastic scattering processes, such as vibrational excitation, are negligible. Otherwise, quasi-elastic scattering leads to strong, down-to-few-meV kinetic energy scattering losses from the direct photoelectron features, which manifest in severely distorted intrinsic photoelectron peak shapes. The associated cross-over point from predominant (known) electronically inelastic to quasi-elastic scattering seems to arise at surprisingly large electron kinetic energies, of approximately 10-14 eV. Concomitantly, we present evidence for the onset of indirect, autoionization phenomena (occurring via superexcited states) within a few eV of the primary and secondary ionization thresholds. These processes are inferred to compete with the direct ionization channels and primarily produce low-energy photoelectrons at photon and electron impact excitation energies below ~15 eV. Our results highlight that vibrational inelastic electron scattering processes and neutral photoexcitation and autoionization channels become increasingly important when photon and electron kinetic energies are decreased towards the ionization threshold. Correspondingly, we show that for neat water and aqueous solutions, great care must be taken when quantitatively analyzing photoelectron spectra measured too close to the ionization threshold. Such care is essential for both the accurate determination of solvent and solute ionization energies as well as photoelectron branching ratios and peak magnitudes.
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